High school testing schedule

No matter how you slice it, teens looking to get into college need to be tested. Sometimes once. Sometimes more than once. Whatever your feelings about testing in general, measuring academic readiness via testing becomes a reality somewhere around 9th or 10th grade.

(But, wait a minute! Aren’t there colleges that are test-optional? Indeed, there are colleges that have gone “test-optional”. Check this list to get an idea which schools, and where they’re located. If you believe your student has a real chance at admission to those schools, just disregard this post.)

There are 2 major entrance exams used by colleges and universities today. These include the SAT, administered through The College Board and given several times a year at test centers across the nation; and the ACT, also administered throughout the year, and offered by ACT Student (all links below). Though the tests are similar, there are some important differences, too. When planning for college, students can prepare for either test — or both, to discover which one most accurately represents their skills.

Test preparation isn’t something that should wait until the year of the test itself. It can take several years for students to feel ready to succeed. That’s why I suggest starting the process in 9th grade (by 10th the latest). Though there are plenty of kids who earn great scores the first time around, it can take other kids a little time and experience to master test-taking skills. (Besides, scores also improve with practice, so taking tests multiple times usually pays off.)

You already know I recommend planning with the end in mind, then working backwards to put a high school plan together. When you do that, it becomes clear that students need to start prepping in 9th grade to be totally ready for a 10th or 11th grade test administration. Starting any later means success on the test isn’t guaranteed. And though nothing is really ever guaranteed, why not make sure you’ve done everything possible for your child’s success?

With the end in mind, I suggest making up a timetable of steps needed to prepare for college entrance exams. I’ve provided one for you, below. Just figure out the steps that’ll work for your specific student, then write them into the student’s high school plan.

What’s nice about this method is that the test prep becomes a part of the overall high school curriculum. As part of the curriculum, it’s unlikely you’ll forget the importance of test prepping your teen.

Here’s an example of just one test prep schedule that could work:

in 9th grade:

Fall semester —

Set up account and student profile on each test’s web site

Carefully study what each test is about

Get a general sense of which test(s) might be used: SAT or ACT (or both?)

Buy some study guides and find other ways your student can start studying

Make sure the homeschool curriculum addresses the subject areas that are on the test

Take notes about readiness as you go along

Ramp up your curriculum and lessons if necessary for test success

in 10th grade:

Fall semester —

Consider registering your student for a practice SAT exam (called the PSAT) at your local high school. It’s given every October, so make time in the student’s schedule to take the test

Carefully examine the PSAT score results when they come in, noting which areas to focus on for the next round

Spring semester —

Make sure your homeschool curriculum addresses all the subject areas on the selected test

Ramp up your curriculum and lessons as necessary for SAT or ACT test preparation

Keep practicing

in 11th grade:

Fall semester —

If you think your student might be eligible for the National Merit Scholarhip, sign up for the PSAT again (otherwise skip)

Ramp up test preparation and curriculum to be ready for the next test administration

Register student for either an SAT or an ACT exam on the next convenient date

Spring semester —

Continue test preparation efforts up until test date

Carefully examine score results when they come in, noting areas to focus on or improve

Register for another SAT or ACT; making sure student is academically prepared in all areas

in 12th grade:

Fall semester —

Register student for the final administration of either the SAT or ACT, whichever is the better fit

Make sure test scores for the chosen test (and chosen sitting) have been sent to the college(s) your student will be applying to

As you can see, this plan assumes your student will take an SAT or ACT exam several times. Though students are all a little different, and this plan may not be suitable for all teens, I’ve written it this way so you can see it could take a couple of years to finish studying and get the scores where you need them to be for college acceptance.

If you happen to have a student ready to take the SAT or ACT in 10th grade, in 9th grade, or even earlier, by all means, do that too. It’ll be up to you to adjust this schedule as it suits your student, their skills, and your goals for readiness over the high school years.

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. The founder of homeschool groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame and with no teaching background whatsoever. A liaison for regional school-to-home organizations and a homeschool leader in Florida, Marie-Claire also mentors homeschool families nationwide. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on CONNECT, Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of other blogs nationwide. Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.